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Three hostages were released on Saturday. The crisis is over. But Trump is pressuring Israel to “open the gates of hell” on Gaza — primarily to clear the way for implementing the transfer of Gaza's population to other countries. That is his vision.
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Sasha Trufanov reunited with his family
(Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit, GPO)
Global reactions have no influence over him. He persists. With the exception of Micronesia, which has yet to state its position, nearly every other country has already issued statements of condemnation — an unprecedented global consensus. The likelihood of his proposal being realized is virtually nil. Yet before we criticize Trump, we must also condemn Western countries. For decades, these nations have financed the Palestinian terrorists’ ideology.
They have funded the Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA and supported Palestinian NGOs that promote the destruction of Israel through the “right of return.” Anyone who speaks even a word in favor of this right following the transfers conducted for tens of millions in Europe is labeled as dangerously racist and fascist. For decades, the Western approach toward the Palestinians has been one of dangerous appeasement that only fuels radicalization and obstinacy.
After all, the idea of transfer is a consequence of the dead end reached in the conflict; there is currently no solution. The Palestinians have rejected every proposal unless it calls for the elimination of Israel—that is, the “right of return.” The two-state solution is irrelevant as long as it is clear, with high probability, that any Palestinian state will become an Iranian outpost or a Qatari branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. This process — where the chance for a solution has steadily evaporated — is largely the result of Western funding for Palestinian obstinacy.
Take Germany, for example. It is not regarded as an enemy. On the contrary, it is a friendly nation that embraced the working definition of antisemitism and is the second-largest security supplier to Israel after the United States. Yet for years, Germany funded an anti-Zionist Israeli association that nurtured the “right of return.” One must admit that, when comparing the abhorrent notion of the “right of return” with Trump’s transfer policy, the latter appears far more moral.
And if today in Germany and other countries nearly 50% believe Israel is treating the Palestinians as the Nazis treated the Jews, then that stance is also the result of enormous funding for NGOs that propagate this blood libel. Members of NGO Monitor repeatedly warned about the issue, presenting their findings to European parliaments, but nothing was done. Representatives from IMPACT-SE, the Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance — which examines textbooks used in the Middle East — also presented evidence of incitement in Palestinian textbooks, which are funded by Europeans, to both parliaments and the European Union.
Occasionally, decisions were made to freeze the funding until changes occurred, but even in the best-case scenario, such freezes lasted only a few months. The same was true for UNRWA funding. It was clearly and widely known that the education there did not promote reconciliation and peace, and yet the financing continued.
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Trump’s transfer will not materialize as a result of his idea. However, if the outcome is a shock, a moment of reckoning, or a search for a slightly more practical solution, then perhaps — who knows — a shift may occur. This could also be an opportunity for Israel's Foreign Ministry to take action. Those who persist in nurturing and financing the industry of hate against Israel must be challenged.
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Gazans on the move following the opening of Netzarim Corridor
(Photo: Eyad BABA / AFP)
Change is possible; it has already occurred in parts of the Arab world. There is a direct correlation between changes in textbooks in some Arab countries and an increased willingness to reconcile with Israel: the United Arab Emirates leads the way, with Morocco and Saudi Arabia also amending their educational materials. But not among Palestinians.
Do you want change? Do you want peace? Do you want two states for two peoples? Are you appalled by the idea of the transfer? Please start with education. Not a single dollar should go to the Palestinian Authority as long as hate is being taught. Not a single dollar to NGOs that support BDS.
Change will not happen overnight, but after decades of conflict, anyone who wants peace must begin by fostering an atmosphere of reconciliation. It is unclear whether the U.S. president still supports the peace vision he presented exactly five years ago, yet there are elements in that vision that are worthy of adoption in the fight against incitement. We need peace and reconciliation. It can come — provided that Western countries themselves change course.